The rollers in overrunning roller clutches normally move circumferentially over a limited travel path as compressed energizing springs maintain the rollers at a lockup ready position near the narrow end of a plurality of roller wedging pockets. The springs compensate for race running eccentricity, which continually widens and narrows the wedging pockets, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art. But such clutches are also subject to various disturbing forces that may push any given roller back beyond and out of the normal travel path, toward the wide end of the wedging pocket. When this occurs, the roller may actually temporarily lose contact with the race surfaces, and its spring is compressed beyond the normal compression limit. While the spring provides a restoring force to push the roller back, some clutch designs provide blocking devices to limit roller movement, and prevent the spring from overcompressing. For example, a shelf on the clutch cage may hit the roller if it moves back too far, or a sleeve over the spring may hit the cage before the spring over compresses. Either approach protects the spring, but at the cost of potential impact damage to the cage, the roller, or both.